Since its conception in 2012, millions of people have committed to #DryJanuary to give their bodies a well-needed detox after an indulgent festive season; but who says this commitment has to be kept to January?! Personally, I never take the pledge anyway, and decided a few years back to do Damp January – i.e. I’ll have a drink if the moment arises, because that’s what I do the rest of the year anyway.
I’m not a big drinker and have quite a few soberista friends so it’s easy to have a fulfilling night without alcohol, all year round. But water is boring, so as #DryJanuary officially ends, I’ve worked with some of Belfast’s best bar teams to create five delicious mocktails for you to indulge in at any time throughout the year. These tasty concoctions will keep the fun rolling whilst also nourishing your body with lots of goodness – what’s not to love?!
Grapefruit and Rosemary mocktail
INGREDIENTS
Rosemary Simple Syrup:
· 1 cup water
· 1 cup granulated sugar· 3 sprigs of rosemary
Mocktail per 4 glasses:
2 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice
¼ cup of the rosemary simple syrup
· 4 cups sparkling water
Method
Rosemary Simple Syrup: In a small sauce pan on the stove, add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar over medium heat. Dissolve the sugar for about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil or crystals will form. Once the sugar has dissolved, pour the simple syrup into a heat safe container. Add 3 sprigs of rosemary and let steep for at least one hour. The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for ten days.
Mocktail per glass: Add ½ cup fresh pink grapefruit into a serving glass. Add 1 Tablespoon (1/2 oz) of rosemary simple syrup. Stir. Fill the remainder of the glass with sparkling water (about 1 cup)
Garnish with rosemary sprig
Serve chilled
Sparkling cranberry pomegranate drink
Ingredients
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
2-3 limes
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar + 1/4 cup for rimming glasses
2 and 1/3 cups unsweetened cranberry pomegranate juicE
24 ounces club soda sparkling water, or sparkling soda
Lots of crushed or cubed icE
Optional: fresh mint, cinnamon sticks
Method
1. Deseed a pomegranate to get 3/4 cup pomegranate arils.
2. Thinly slice 2-3 limes.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the water and 3/4 cup white sugar until the sugar is completely integrated.
4. Fill a large pitcher halfway with lots of ice. Pour in the simple sugar mixture of water and sugar.
5. Add in the unsweetened cranberry-pomegranate juice.
6. Add in the club soda or sparkling water. I used 1 bottle of mandarin lime sparkling water and 1 bottle of sparkling pomegranate soda (each bottle was 12 ounces).
7. Stir together in the pitcher. Add in the sliced limes and pomegranate arils.
8. If desired, rim your glasses in sugar! Dip the top of the glass into a bowl filled with water and then into a bowl filled with sugar.
9. Pour the drink into the sugar rimmed glasses and garnish if desired with a cinnamon stick and/or fresh mint. Add a slice of lime if desired.
10. Enjoy immediately. (To make ahead, combine everything except the ice and sparkling water/soda. Add ice and sparkling water/soda right before serving.)
Cucumber ginger mocktail
Ingredients
1 medium cucumber , sliced
· 10 slices of fresh ginger , about 1/4" thick
· 2 cups sugar (or about 1 3/4 cups agave nectar)
·2 cups still water
· soda water for serving (about 5 ounces per drink)
cucumber slices , for serving, optional
Method
1. Place sliced cucumber and ginger in a large, heat-proof bowl. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over cucumber and ginger and let stand for 2 hours.
2. Strain into a bottle and chill.
3. To prepare a cocktail, stir together about 1 shot syrup (1.5 ounces) with about 3 shots water (4.5 ounces), or to taste. Garnish with a cucumber slice.
Recipe Notes: Keeps in an air-tight container in the fridge for two weeks.
Fresh ginger-lime tonic
Ingredients
· 2 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and frozen
· ½ cup filtered water
¼ cup lime juice (2-3 limes)
· 2 (8oz) cans club soda
· 1 ounce tonic syrup*
Directions:
1. Combine frozen ginger and water in a blender. Turn on and gradually increase speed to high; blend for 30 to 60 seconds or until no large chunks remain. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing out liquid with a spoon or spatula. Rinse out the blender with another few tablespoons of water and pour through sieve. Discard solids. You should have just over 1/2 cup of juice.
2. Fill 4 12-ounce glasses with ice. To each glass, add 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) ginger juice, 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) lime juice, and 1/4 ounce (1/2 tablespoon) tonic syrup. Stir to combine. Top with 3-4 ounces of club soda. If you find this too spicy, add a splash of simple syrup to sweeten the drink.
*Tonic water can also be used in place of the tonic syrup + club soda.
Kombucha raspberry mojito mocktail
Ingredients
· 1 lime, cut into wedges
4 Tbsp fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries, thawed
Small handful fresh mint leaves
1 bottle (330ml) kombuca
Ice cubes
Method
1. To the bottom of each glass (serves 2 glasses) slightly squeeze 3-4 lime wedges, then place wedges into the glasses.
2. Then add raspberries, 2 tablespoons in each glass and desired amount of mint leaves. Using a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, muddle (squish) lime, raspberries and mint together until the raspberries juices are released.
3. Fill each glass half way up with ice.
4. Pour kombucha over ice, stir a little to combine with the raspberries, lime and mint.
5. Serve with extra lime slices if desired.
6. Enjoy!